Michael Dunlop cruised to a 22nd TT victory in the Supersport Race One in glorious conditions on Saturday afternoon.

The 34 year old claimed his third Supersport victory in a row on his own MD Racing Yamaha, after doing the double last year, by 12.3 seconds ahead of the fast-finishing Peter Hickman and Dean Harrison.

Hickman had a storming last lap to pip Harrison to runners up spot on his 765 Trooper Triumph. The margin between the two on corrected time at the end of the four-lap race was only 0.394s in Hickman's favour thanks the Burton upon Trent man's final circuit of 129.039mph, the fastest he's posted in the class.

Dunlop said after the race: 'It was good racing. I felt good and so did the bike. I backed off a lot on the last two laps as I was bit excited at the start!

'The wee bike is still winning - It's a wee bit extra special to win on a bike you've put together yourself.'

Hickman was left rueing what he described as a slow start to the race: 'It takes me too long to get going in this class. The bike is awesome though and I just need to get my head in gear and stop riding it like a big bike.'

Harrison, who admitted he was struggling with his bike's front brake, added: 'There's definitely room for improvement, but it's always great to start the week with a podium.'

Dunlop lead almost from the off, overhauling Harrison at the top of the timing charts by the Ballaugh timing point on lap one. A scorching second lap of 129.136mph was within a whisker of his own lap record for the class and gave him a comfortable lead to manage after the pit stops at the end of lap two.

Behind him Harrison on the Russell Racing Yamaha sat in second, but Hickman began chipping away at the Yorkshireman's advantage on lap three, taking seven seconds out of his rival on that lap alone.

Harrison looked like he might just hang on to second spot, but Hickman overhauled him on corrected time at the finish to end the race runner-up.

Behind the top three, Jamie Coward held off a late challenge from Davey Todd to finish fourth on his KTS Racing Yamaha.

Following Todd, James Hillier was firth and Paul Jordan seventh, his second best TT finish.

Number one on the road, David Johnson was eighth, Rob Hodson ninth and James Hind 10th, despite the latter being hit with a 30-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

Craig Neve was 11th and Santon's Mikey Evans first Manxie home in 12th.

Ryan Cringle was 22nd, Glen Vine newcomer Jorge Halliday 37th and Paul Cassidy from Castletown a further spot behind in 38th.

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